Receptacle for depository apparatus



April 25, 1961 L. G. SIMJIAN RECEPTACLE FOR DEPOSITORY APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 24, 1959 INVENTOR.

LUTHER G. SIMJIAN AGENT April 25, 1961 G. SIMJIAN RECEPTACLE FOR DEPOSITORY APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 24, 1959 FIG. 3

INVENTOR. LUTHER G. SIMJIAN AGENT RECEPTACLE' FOR DEPOSITORY APPARATUS V Luther G. Simjian, Laurel Lane, Greenwich, Conn. Filed Aug. 24, 1959, Ser. 'No. 835,765

3 Claims. (Cl. 242-675) This invention refers to receptacles for depository apparatus and has particular reference to a storage receptacle which stores articles between flexible tapes or bands.

More specifically, the invention concerns a portable receptacle which uses tapes or hands for retaining articles therebetween whereby the supply of tapes and the tape portion used for storage of deposited articles are disposed within the same receptacle.

In copending application for US. Letters Patent, Serial No. 782,177, filed December 22, 1958, entitled Method and Apparatus for Compartmentizing and Storing an Article there has been disclosed a novel method and structure for receiving and storing for deposit an article or a plurality of stacked articles by confining the deposit between a set of flexible tapes. To accomplish this task, tapes are fed from a set of supply reels to an article insertion station Where the deposit becomes inserted and retained between the tapes. Subsequently, the filled tape portion is transferred to a storage receptacle.

The present invention provides a simplification of the above described arrangement by making use of semipermanent tapes which. can be employed repeatedly and whereby the tape supply reels as Well as the reel which retains the deposit enclosing tape portions are arranged in a unitary structure. in this manner threading of the apparatus with new tape, transporting the receptacle when outside of the apparatus, either filled or lacking deposits, and supplying the depository apparatus with empty tapes is greatly facilitated. Moreover, unloading of the filled receptacle not only is simplified but the discharged receptacle immediately becomes available for re-use in the apparatus. Additionally, there is no wastage of tapes or cleanup of used tape after the deposits have been removed from the receptacle.

One of the objects of this invention therefore is the provision of a new and improved receptacle for depository devices.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an improved receptacle which operates in conjunction with flexible tapes to store and dispense respectively articles accepted for deposit.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a receptacle which is equipped with tapes and supply reels as well as a storage reel.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a receptacle whichis equipped with tapes, a set of supply reels, a storage reel and which includes provisions for effecting transfer of the tapes between said supply reels and storage reel respectively.

Another and further object of this invention is the provision of a receptacle for depository machines using tapes for confining deposits therebetween whereby the tapes are of semi-permanent character.

Another and still further object of this invention is the provision of a receptacle for depository machines using flexible tapes for article storage whereby the supply of tape material forms an integral part of the storage receptacle.

Still another and further object of this invention is the provision of a receptacle for depository machines Which by virtue of its construction and arrangement is readily portable while affording utmost protection for the deposits confined therein.

In its simplest form the present invention comprises an enclosure and tape transport means disposed therein. The tape transport means include a storage reel, a pair of supply reels and a set of tapes adapted to be fed from the supply reels convergingly upon the storage reel. Means are provided to enable the transfer of the tapes between the supply reels and storage reel.

For a better understanding of the instant invention together with still other and further objects thereof, reference is made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the receptacle with cover partially lifted;

Figure 2 is a top plan view at the receptacle when the cover is removed and the receptacle is installed in a depository apparatus;

Figure 3 is a sectional view along section lines 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional elevational View along lines 4-.-4 in Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is a sectional view along lines 55 in Figure 4.

Referring now to the figures and Figures 1 and 2 in particular, numeral 11 identifies a rectangular frame in the form of an enclosure which together with mating cover 12 forms a box type receptacle. Within the re ceptacle there is disposed an upstanding storage reel 13 and a pair of supply reels, numerals 14 and 15. Supply reel .14 is supporting flexible tape 7.6 and supply reel l5, tape 17, both tapes being fed about a set of suitable guide rollers, numerals 1-8 and 19, in such a manner as to arrive convergingly and in superposed relationship with respect to one another upon storage reel 13 as best seen in Figure l.

A further set of guide means, for instance rollers 20 and 21, is mounted in proximity to rollers 18 and 19 and all of these rollers are journalled at their respective upper ends in plate 22 which is fastened to the enclosure Wall. For the sake of clarity plate 22 is shown partially broken away in Figures 1 and 2.

The top of storage reel 13 is supported by a pin 23 which is fastened to the underside of cover plate 12. Moreover, reel 13 is equipped with an annular top plate which about its circumference exhibits a plurality of radially disposed and spaced inclined projections 24. These projections are adapted to be engaged by a bar 25 also mounted to the underside of cover 12 to form in combination a ratchet mechanism which is adjusted in such a manner that the storage reel 13 can turn only in clockwise direction when the cover is in place. When turning reel 13 clockwise, tapes 16 and 17 are unwound from supply reels 14 and 15, guided about respective rollers 18 and 19 and convergingly arrive and are wound upon storage reel 13 as shown in Figure 1.

As described in the aforementioned copending application for US. Letters Patent, in order to receive articles for deposit, the tapes are required to be fed past an article insertion station at which the article or articles to be stored for deposit are received. This station normally is disposed outside of the receptacle and in order to enable extension of the tapes to this station, enclosure 11 in proximity to guide means 18 and 19 is provided with a suitable aperture 27 as is partially visible in Figure 1 and indicated in Figure 2.

Referring now to Figure 2, at the article insertion station there is disposed a fixed roller 31 and movable roller 32, the latter cyclically moving in a reciprocatory manner toward and away from the opposing roller 31 to permit insertion of an article or articles A between extended tapes 16 and 17. When an article has been inserted between the tapes at the insertion station, reel 13 by motive means (to be shown later) is turned clockwise and thus the tapes and the article confined therebetween are advanced toward the receptacle and fed into the interior of the receptacle. The article then at one point will assume the position A as depicted in Figure 2 and ultimately becomes wrapped around reel 13. Since in this manner reel 13 retains deposited articles, it has been termed storage reel while reels 14 and 15, always holding a supply of tapes, have been termed supply reels.

Enclosure 11 is equipped with a further guide means 33 to hold tape 17 in proper alignment for guide rollers 21 and 18. In general, guide rollers 18, 19, 20 and 21 are so located as to feed the tapes in suitable manner in and out of the receptacle. Supply reels 14 and may be turned by operating a hand crank 35 which acts upon a suitable drive mechanism as shown in Figure 3.

Referring to Figure 3, there is visible a bevel gear 41 which is rotated by crank 35 and which in turn drives bevel gear 42, the latter being fastened to the input shaft of a mechanical gear differential 43. One output spur gear 44 of the differential engages gear 45, the latter engaging gear 46 which is fastened to reel 15. The other output gear 47 of the differential drives reel 14 via gear 48, shaft 49, gear 50, reversing gear 51 and gear 52. Reels 14 and 15 by means of suitable shafts and retaining means are supported rotatably in plate 53 which forms a part of the receptacle structure.

Output gears 47 and 44 are fastened only to the respective adjacent bevel gears of the differential which gears in turn, are free to rotate on the differential input shaft driven by gear 42. When crank 35 is rotated and drives gears 41 and 42, gears 47 and 44 are rotated in the same direction and with equal speed provided that reels 14 and 15 require equal amounts of torque. The body of the differential rotates. When one of the output gears is slowed in its rotation because the respective tape is taut or one reel requires greater driving force, the other output gear will rotate with a proportionate increase in speed to cause equalization. The use of the differential in this application is exactly the same as in an automobile where the engine drive shaft is connected to the input of a differential and both drive wheels constitute the respective outputs from the differential. When both output gears are prevented from rotation, a friction clutch associated with knob 35 relieves the driving effort.

Reel 13, when rotated clockwise, is driven by a motor 55 via a set of serrated coupling halves 66 and 67. Motor 55 is normally fixed to the depository apparatus and in this embodiment does not form a part of the receptacle. Coupling portion 66 is attached to the motor shaft and it will be observed that coupling portion 67 is recessed in the reel structure so that no protruding shaft is presented when the receptacle is in transit or is removed from its installation at the depository apparatus. The ratchet arrangement permitting only unidirectional rotation of storage reel 13 when the cover is in place is more clearly visible in Figures 4 and 5. The inclined protrusions 24forming a part of the sheet metal cover of reel 13- are engaged by inclined bar 25 which is resiliently biased by spring 56, both elements being suitably fastened in mounting block 57.

Suitable protective locking means (not shown) are employed to provide locking of the cover on the enclosure to prevent unauthorized access to the deposits which are stored within the receptacle. Such means are well known in the art and do not form a part of the present invention.

Operation of the receptacle may be visualized as follows: The receptacle is prepared for installation in the field by having supply reels 14 and 15 fully loaded. Tape 17 is fed around guide rollers 33, 21, and 18 toward reel 13, while tape 16 is threaded to be in contact with guide roller 20 and about roller 19 toward reel 13 as seen in Figure 1. The ends of the tapes are attached semipermanently to reels 13, 14 and 15 respectively. By furnishing the tape of suitable textile webbing, durable paper base, or plastic material, the tapes becomes of a semi-permanent character and can be used for an extended length of time for transfer between the respective reels, requiring replacement only when worn out.

With cover 12 firmly seated and locked on enclosure 11, the receptacle is transported to the depository apparatus and fitted onto the provided space so that the coupling half 67 of the receptacle engages coupling half 66 of motor 55, the latter forming a part of the depository apparatus. By reaching into aperture 27 (Figures 1 and 2) the operator grasps tape 16 and pulls on the tape until a suitable amount of tape unwinds itself from reel 14 so that the tape can be slipped over roller 31. Similarly a suitable amount of tape 17 is released until it passes over roller 32. The operator may then turn crank 35 to effect suitable tightening of the tapes, whereby the differential means cause taking up of the slack and produce equalization of the tension on the tapes. Crank 35 drives through an appropriate slip clutch 35A to prevent stretching or tearing of the tape.

The receptacle is now completely installed and as the depository apparatus operates, deposits successively become retained between tapes 16 and 17 and the deposits together with the superposed tape portions become wound upon storage reel 13.

When reel 13 is filled or for some other reason, the receptacle is to be removed from the depository apparatus for unloading of the deposits, tapes 16 and 17 are lifted off rollers 31 and 32 respectively and the excess slack of the tapes is returned to reels 14 and 15 by turning crank 35. In this manner, protruding portions of tapes 16 and 17 are drawn toward and into aperture 27. The differential means 43 coupled to crank 35 cause each of the tapes to become drawn into the receptacle until the tapes are taut although the exposed length of the individual tapes may differ. It will be observed moreover, that by virtue of the ratchet mechanism between bar 25 and inclined protrusions 24, reel 13 is prevented from turning counter-clockwise. In this way, deposits disposed about reel 13 cannot be removed from the receptacle. Subsequently, the receptacle is lifted off its base thereby disengaging it from motor 55.

The receptacle in this manner forms a complete entity and a new receptacle immediately can be installed on the apparatus as described heretofore.

At the home office, by using suitable unlocking means, cover plate 12 is removed from the enclosure 11, which act disengages the ratchet means described heretofore so that reel 13 now is free to turn in counter-clockwise rotation. Upon rotating knob 35 in suitable direction, reel 13 is caused to turn counter-clockwise and the superposed tapes from reel 13 are separated and returned to their respective supply reels 14 and 15. As the individual tapes separate and move about guide rollers 18 and 19 the deposits are released from their hold between the tapes and ejected from the receptacle via aperture 27. In this manner all deposits are released from the receptacle while simultaneously, supply reels 14 and 15 become reloaded. When reel 13 is completely discharged, reels 14 and 15 are fully restored with the supply of tape material. Upon restoring cover 12, the receptacle is ready for installation on the depository apparatus.

It will be seen that in this manner the receptacle is a self-contained unit operating with the set of tapes which is cyclically transferred between the supply reels and the storage reel. The receptacle is readily and easily loaded and unloaded and moreover, no clean up or threading of tapes is required between the loading and unloading procedures.

It will be apparent further that by minor modifications of the ratchet mechanism the receptacle can be used in a reverse manner, that is, efiecting of loading articles at the home office and dispensing of articles disposed about reel 13 at a remote location. In this manner the principle and construction revealed hereinabove becomes useful in conjunction with vending machines which issue an article in exchange for a money deposit or the deposit of a negotiable or non-negotiable instrument.

Obviously the design disclosed above is not restricted to the use of a pair of flexible tapes but a single strip suitably folded and slit or a plurality of tapes arranged as shown and described in the application for Letters Patent referred hereinbefore may be used without deviating from the principle of the design revealed.

While there have been described certain embodiments of the present invention together with modifications thereof it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the intent and spirit of the present invention which shall be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A receptacle of the type described comprising: an enclosure including a removable cover forming a part thereof; tape transport means disposed in said enclosure which include a storage reel and a pair of spaced supply reels; a pair of flexible tapes; each tape adapted to be reversibly transferred between one ofsaid supply reels and said storage reel whereby the tapes converge in superposed relationship with respect to one another on said storage reel; means coacting with said storage reel enabling it to be driven by a source of motive power disposed external of said enclosure; further means including differential means coupled to said supply reels for driving said reels from a source of motive power disposed external of said enclosure and said differential means effecting equalization of the tension of said tapes; locking means effective between said cover and said tape transport means to prevent unwinding of tape from said storage reel when said cover is in place on said enclosure; aperture means in said enclosure through which the tapes are extendable out of the enclosure along their transfer path between said reels, and guide means disposed at said aperture for guiding each of the tapes in and out of the enclosure.

2. A receptacle of the type described comprising: an enclosure including a removable cover forming a part thereof; tape transport means disposed in said enclosure which include a storage reel and a pair of spaced supply reels; a pair of flexible tapes; each tape adapted to be reversibly transferred between one of said supply reels and said storage reel whereby the tapes converge in superposed relationship with respect to one another on said storage reel; means coacting with said storage reel enabling it to be driven by a source of motive power disposed external of said enclosure; further means including diiferential drive means coupled to said supply reels for driving said reels from another source of motive power disposed external of said enclosure and said differential means effecting equalization of the tension of said tapes; a slip clutch forming a part of said further means to prevent tearing of said tapes in the event of excessive driving force from said another source of motive power; locking means eifective between said cover and said tape transport means to prevent unwinding of tape from said storage reel when said cover is in place on said enclosure; aperture means in saidenclosure through which the tapes are extendable out of the enclosure along their transfer path between said reels, and guide means disposed at said aperture for guiding each of the tapes in and out of the enclosure.

3. A receptacle of the type described comprising: an enclosure which includes a substantially rectangular bottom plate, four upstanding side walls attached to the bottom plate, and a removable cover adapted to mate with the side walls; tape transport means disposed in said enclosure which include a storage reel and a pair of spaced supply reels supported from said bottom plate; said reels being mounted for rotation about respective axes which are disposed substantially perpendicular with respect to the plane through said bottom plate; a pair of flexible tapes; each tape fastened with one of its ends to one of said supply reels and with the other end to said storage reel whereby said tapes are so arranged that they converge in superposed relationship on said storage reel when being unwound from the respective supply reels; shaft means coupled to the storage reel and extending through said bottom plate for being driven by a source of motive power located external of said enclosure; manually operable drive means extending through one of said side walls and being coupled via diiferential drive means to said supply reels for driving said supply reels whereby said difierential means effect equalization of the tension of said tapes; ratchet means coacting between said cover and said storage reel to permit transfer of tape only from said supply reels to said storage reel when the cover is disposed on said enclosure and thus preventing transfer of tape from said storage reel to the respective supply reels; aperture means in a portion of said side walls through which the tapes are extendable out of the enclosure along their transfer path between said reels, and guide means disposed in said enclosure and in proximity to said aperture means for guiding each of the tapes in and out of the enclosure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 834,463 Fennell Oct. 30, 1906 1,866,585 Tenney July 12, 1932 2,059,871 Honeyman Nov. 3, 1936 2,215,578 Eggert et a1. Sept. 24, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 337,454 Great Britain Nov. 3, 1930 

